in search of the castaways-第99章

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　the　night？　　Lady　Helena　and　Miss　Grant　would　not　grudge　two　miles　more　to　find　a　hotel　even　of　a　humble　character。〃　〃A　hotel！〃　cried　Paganel；　〃a　hotel　in　a　Maori　village！　you　would　not　find　an　inn；　not　a　tavern！　　This　village　will　be　a　mere　cluster　of　huts；　and　so　far　from　seeking　rest　there；　my　advice　is　that　you　give　it　a　wide　berth。〃　〃Your　old　fears；　Paganel！〃　retorted　Glenarvan。　〃My　dear　Lord；　where　Maories　are　concerned；　distrust　is　safer　than　confidence。　　I　do　not　know　on　what　terms　they　are　with　the　English；　whether　the　insurrection　is　suppressed　or　successful；　or　whether　indeed　the　war　may　not　be　going　on　with　full　vigor。　Modesty　apart；　people　like　us　would　be　a　prize；　and　I　must　say；　I　would　rather　forego　a　taste　of　Maori　hospitality。　　I　think　it　certainly　more　prudent　to　avoid　this　village　of　Ngarnavahia；　to　skirt　it　at　a　distance；　so　as　to　avoid　all　encounters　with　the　natives。　When　we　reach　Drury　it　will　be　another　thing；　and　there　our　brave　ladies　will　be　able　to　recruit　their　strength　at　their　leisure。〃　This　advice　prevailed。　　Lady　Helena　preferred　to　pass　another　night　in　the　open　air；　and　not　to　expose　her　companions　to　danger。　Neither　Mary　Grant　or　she　wished　to　halt；　and　they　continued　their　march　along　the　river。　Two　hours　later；　the　first　shades　of　evening　began　to　fall。　The　sun；　before　disappearing　below　the　western　horizon；　darted　some　bright　rays　through　an　opening　in　the　clouds。　The　distant　eastern　summits　were　empurpled　with　the　parting　glories　of　the　day。　　It　was　like　a　flying　salute　addressed　to　the　way…worn　travelers。　Glenarvan　and　his　friends　hastened　their　steps；　they　knew　how　short　the　twilight　is　in　this　high　latitude；　and　how　quickly　the　night　follows　it。　They　were　very　anxious　to　reach　the　confluence　of　the　two　rivers　before　the　darkness　overtook　them。　　But　a　thick　fog　rose　from　the　ground；　and　made　it　very　difficult　to　see　the　way。　Fortunately　hearing　stood　them　in　the　stead　of　sight；　shortly　a　nearer　sound　of　water　indicated　that　the　confluence　was　at　hand。　At　eight　o'clock　the　little　troop　arrived　at　the　point　where　the　Waipa　loses　itself　in　the　Waikato；　with　a　moaning　sound　of　meeting　waves。　〃There　is　the　Waikato！〃　cried　Paganel；　〃and　the　road　to　Auckland　is　along　its　right　bank。〃　〃We　shall　see　that　to…morrow；〃　said　the　Major；　〃Let　us　camp　here。　It　seems　to　me　that　that　dark　shadow　is　that　of　a　little　clump　of　trees　grown　expressly　to　shelter　us。　　Let　us　have　supper　and　then　get　some　sleep。〃　〃Supper　by　all　means；〃　said　Paganel；　〃but　no　fire；　nothing　but　biscuit　and　dried　meat。　　We　have　reached　this　spot　incognito；　let　us　try　and　get　away　in　the　same　manner。　By　good　luck；　the　fog　is　in　our　favor。〃　The　clump　of　trees　was　reached　and　all　concurred　in　the　wish　of　the　geographer。　　The　cold　supper　was　eaten　without　a　sound；　and　presently　a　profound　sleep　overcame　the　travelers；　who　were　tolerably　fatigued　with　their　fifteen　miles'　march。

CHAPTER　IX　INTRODUCTION　TO　THE　CANNIBALS

THE　next　morning　at　daybreak　a　thick　fog　was　clinging　to　the　surface　of　the　river。　　A　portion　of　the　vapors　that　saturated　the　air　were　condensed　by　the　cold；　and　lay　as　a　dense　cloud　on　the　water。　But　the　rays　of　the　sun　soon　broke　through　the　watery　mass　and　melted　it　away。　A　tongue　of　land；　sharply　pointed　and　bristling　with　bushes；　projected　into　the　uniting　streams。　　The　swifter　waters　of　the　Waipa　rushed　against　the　current　of　the　Waikato　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　before　they　mingled　with　it；　but　the　calm　and　majestic　river　soon　quieted　the　noisy　stream　and　carried　it　off　quietly　in　its　course　to　the　Pacific　Ocean。　When　the　vapor　disappeared；　a　boat　was　seen　ascending　the　current　of　the　Waikato。　　It　was　a　canoe　seventy　feet　long；　five　broad；　and　three　deep；　the　prow　raised　like　that　of　a　Venetian　gondola；　and　the　whole　hollowed　out　of　a　trunk　of　a　kahikatea。　A　bed　of　dry　fern　was　laid　at　the　bottom。　　It　was　swiftly　rowed　by　eight　oars；　and　steered　with　a　paddle　by　a　man　seated　in　the　stern。　This　man　was　a　tall　Maori；　about　forty…five　years　of　age；　broad…chested；　muscular；　with　powerfully　developed　hands　and　feet。　His　prominent　and　deeply…furrowed　brow；　his　fierce　look；　and　sinister　expression；　gave　him　a　formidable　aspect。　Tattooing；　or　〃moko；〃　as　the　New　Zealanders　call　it；　is　a　mark　of　great　distinction。　　None　is　worthy　of　these　honorary　lines；　who　has　not　distinguished　himself　in　repeated　fights。　The　slaves　and　the　lower　class　can　not　obtain　this　decoration。　Chiefs　of　high　position　may　be　known　by　the　finish　and　precision　and　truth　of　the　design；　which　sometimes　covers　their　whole　bodies　with　the　figures　of　animals。　　Some　are　found　to　undergo　the　painful　operation　of　〃moko〃　five　times。　　The　more　illustrious；　the　more　illustrated；　is　the　rule　of　New　Zealand。　Dumont　D'Urville　has　given　some　curious　details　as　to　this　custom。　He　justly　observes　that　〃moko〃　is　the　counterpart　of　the　armorial　bearings　of　which　many　families　in　Europe　are　so　vain。　But　he　remarks　that　there　is　this　difference：　　the　armorial　bearings　of　Europe　are　frequently　a　proof　only　of　the　merits　of　the　first　who　bore　them；　and　are　no　certificate　of　the　merits　of　his　descendants；　while　the　individual　coat…of…arms　of　the　Maori　is　an　irrefragible　proof　that　it　was　earned　by　the　display　of　extraordinary　personal　courage。　The　practice　of　tattooing；　independently　of　the　consideration　it　procures；　has　also　a　useful　aspect。　　It　gives　the　cu…taneous　system　an　increased　thickness；　enabling　it　to　resist　the　inclemency　of　the　season　and　the　incessant　attacks　of　the　mosquito。　As　to　the　chief　who　was　steering　the　canoe；　there　could　be　no　mistake。　The　sharpened　albatross　bone　used　by　the　Maori　tattooer；　had　five　times　scored　his　countenance。　　He　was　in　his　fifth　edition；　and　betrayed　it　in　his　haughty　bearing。　His　figure；　draped　in　a　large　mat　woven　of　〃phormium〃　trimmed　with　dogskins；　was　clothed　with　a　pair　of　cotton　drawers；　blood…stained　from　recent　combats。　　From　the　pendant　lobe　of　his　ears　hung　earrings　of　green　jade；　and　round　his　neck　a　quivering　necklace　of　〃pounamous；〃　a　kind　of　jade　stone　sacred　among　the　New　Zealanders。　　At　his　side　lay　an　English　rifle；　and　a　〃patou…patou；〃　a　kind　of　two…headed　ax　of　an　emerald　color；　and　eighteen　inches　long。　　Beside　him　sat　nine　armed　warriors　of　inferior　rank；　ferocious…looking　fellows；　some　of　them　suffering　from　recent　wounds。　They　sat　quite　motionless；　wrapped　in　their　flax　mantles。　Three　savage…looking　dogs　lay　at　their　feet。　　The　eight　rowers　in　the　prow　seemed　to　be　servants　or　slaves　of　the　chief。　They　rowed　vigorously；　and　propelled　the　boat　against　the　not　very　rapid　current　of　the　Waikato；　with　extraordinary　velocity。　In　the　center　of　this　long　canoe；　with　their　feet　tied　together；　sat　ten　European　prisoners　closely　packed　together。　It　was　Glenarvan　and　Lady　Helena；　Mary　Grant；　Robert；　Paganel；　the　Major；　John　Mangles；　the　steward；　and　the　two　sailors。　The　night　before；　the　little　band　had　unwittingly；　owing　to　the　mist；　encamped　in　the　midst　of　a　numerous　party　of　natives。　Toward　the　middle　of　the　night　they　were　surprised　in　their　sleep；　were　made　prisoners；　and　carried　on　board　the　canoe。　　They　had　not　been　ill…treated；　so　far；　but　all　attempts　at　resistance　had　been　vain。　Their　arms　and　ammunition